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Written by Trent Kondo
An all around sports fan and has been a Chicago BlackHawks supporter longer then he can remember. Currently writes for Prosportsblogging.com on the Blackhawks and NHLHotstove.com on the Edmonton Oilers.
(If you would like to email feel free to contact Trent at TKONHOCKEY@gmail.com )

14 Comments

In response to “2010 NHL Playoffs/ TV Networks”

Myself, and probably Flyers fans included, must be pretty pissed that we’re not going to be recognized on the national stage in the least bit. The Devils are only SECOND in the Eastern Conference, yet we get jipped out of national coverage for what? Oh right, for Pittsburgh. So, on Versus nobody in Canada will be watching it so that means they are saying that Pittsburgh is a bigger fan zone than All of the Philly area plus all of New Jersey (which the north is comprised of Devils/Rangers fans while the South is comprised of Devils/Flyers fans). If you can’t see Pittsburgh as Bettman’s team then you are blind. Sure, I’m glad I don’t have to listen to the garbage announcers but being snubbed is garbage.

I can not disagree with you there, Bettman loves Crosby to pieces and Pittsburgh of course. Notice that Phoenix gets quite good coverage, go figure. All of Canada will be watching the Devils/Flyers but on TSN which unfortunately has “so-called” expert Pierre Mcguire which I don’t know that many like. He is very biased in his opinions and I sure wish it was CBC covering the Hawks.

Ben, I have heard you complain about this so many times. You are right, the NHL loves the Penguins because they are so marketable. Try to throw away your biases though. It’s not a bad thing for the NHL to try to get as many viewers as possible. Simply put, the Penguins are more fun to watch than the Devils to a casual hockey observer. Hopefully, although highly doubtful, the NHL can get a national television coverage deal with a network like ESPN or NBC or something. They could put on a Wednesday night game on NBC (to add to the Sunday broadcast) or simulcast the TSN Tuesday/Thursday games on ESPN. They should be doing everything in their power to get a national deal.

I don’t think the Penguins are marketable. I think Sidney Crosby is or at least the league perceives him to be it’s most marketable face.

Just reminding you that the Devils have the goal tender with all the records, are playing a division rival in a heated rivalry match, and they are one of the elite teams in the league. Saying the casual hockey observer is somebody who doesn’t care about defense and only wants to see teams score a lot of goals would be right but only because they allow fans to be casual in that way. By showing only teams that play high strung offense they only show one end of the spectrum.

As for TV deals I hope I never have to watch a game on VERSUS ever again. ESPN is willing to show any and all sports to try to draw viewers to it. I think you can see this to how televised poker erupted. Give ESPN some weekday games and the playoffs and I think people will watch.

I hope you’re kidding. Most people do not care whatsoever about defense. The Penguins are an extremely high scoring team with the best offensive player in the league. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong; I am simply saying it is true. If you aren’t a hockey fan and don’t have a favorite team, are you going to want to watch a team like the Devils clog up the neutral zone for 60 minutes? It’s boring! It’s fun to watch if you’re a hockey fan and appreciate good hockey, but if you want to see action-packed playoffs, well, sorry, the Devils aren’t the team you want. Neither are the Canadiens (just proving I’m not being anti-Devils or pro-Canadiens). There are a few teams the NHL needs to push in order to attract fans: the Penguins, the Capitals, the Sharks, and the Blackhawks. Those are the teams that on any given night have decent odds to score 5+ goals. That’s what a casual fan wants to see. The NHL isn’t trying to market to you or me. They already have you and me. They don’t need to show good hockey, they need to show lots of goals hockey. That’s just the way it is. They can market Brodeur all they want, but it won’t attract as many viewers as Crosby and Malkin and Ovechkin and Heatley and Kane and other high, flying scorers.

You’re being biased because that is the kind of hockey the Devils play. People who are not hockey fans don’t care about great saves. Try to be objective for one second. Goalies are not nearly as marketable as scorers.

Also, two more quick points. They can’t just give ESPN games. They still have to make money, and ESPN has to be assured that people will watch. Neither of those things is certain.

Also, in order to get a loyal fan base, you have to just get some fans first. If you go to a hockey game, you won’t hear some fan screaming, “Hey, get down low! Way to win the battle for the puck in the corner! Nice play to break up the pass in the neutral zone!” You hear people shout, “Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! You bastard, shoot the damn puck!” Or thereabouts. Those people don’t get hooked on hockey by watching a good defensive battle. That is at least 50% of the NHL’s fan base. And the other half evolved from those people (although, they probably started out to a lesser degree then those people).

Sam has a great point, I am an ex-goalie and believe me I feel for the goalies and would like to see them get more acknowledgment but it will never happen. Sure people go back and talk about the Greats like Roy, Fuhr, Glenn Hall, Tretiak and so on but they are clearly overshadowed by the likes of Gretzky, Howe, Orr, and Lemieux etc. Unfortunate for goalie’s and goalie fans but It’s just the way it is and always has been.